Zoe
by Diva Actress
Summary: I got tired of Mark being alone. Rating for some cussing, and the fact that nothing in the RENT category should be below a T rating. I suck at summaries, please R&R.


Here's another crazy little one shot that was running around in circles in my head screaming "write me, write me" so I am. All I'm going to say about it is that it's my first one shot that isn't a Mo/Jo one. **Jonathon Larson owns RENT, not me.**

Mark walked into a club on a Monday night, something he seldom did, but he seriously needed to leave the loft and enjoy some time in the outside world. He sat at the bar and ordered a beer. I girl dressed provocatively danced on the stage. A beer slid across the top of the bar, "Thanks," he mumbled.

After finishing his beer he stood up, paid for the drink, and turned to leave. _Not the setting I wanted_ he thought. As he walked towards the exit, he bumped into a girl who barely looked 21. "Excuse me," she said a bright smile on her lips. Her eyes were a deep blue, they captivated Mark the instant he saw them.

"I'm Mark..." he trailed off.

"Zoe. Nice to meet you." Her smile spread even more. "Didn't you film that riot at Maureen's protest last Christmas?"

"That's was me, were you there?"

"Yeah, but I stood in the back. I recognized you though."

"I didn't know I was recognizable. Did you enjoy her performance?"

"I thought she was brilliant!"

"I'll have to tell her that people are still talking about that."  
"You know her?" Zoe asked in total disbelief.

"Yeah, she was the last person I dated, so we know each other."

"What's she like as a person?"

"She's a complete drama queen."

"Sounds like my boss."

"Where do you work?"

"Coyote Ugly. It's a ways from my house, but it pays well and it's fun."

"Oh really, where do you live?"

"Avenue G. How 'bout you, where do you live?"

"Avenue B, not too far from you." An awkward silence imposed for a couple minutes. "So...what's this Coyote Ugly like?"

"Come check it out for yourself. I don't recommend coming on a Friday or Saturday though, there's usually a line around the corner." With that Zoe left and disappeared into the thick crowd. _Coyote Ugly_ Mark thought.

"Do either of you know what Coyote Ugly is?" Mark asked the next day.

"Why do you want to know?" Mimi asked groggily.

"I met someone who worked there last night and she wouldn't tell me what it is."

"You met a girl who's a Coyote?"

"I guess. So you know what Coyote Ugly is then?"

"Coyote Ugly is a bar, and it's only female bar tenders and they dance on the bar, a lot."

"Glad I asked before going there."

When Mark entered Coyote Ugly, the song _The Devil Went Down to Georgia_ was playing and all the bar tenders were on the bar dancing. When the song finished half the girls remained on the table and the other half went back behind the bar. Mark, unsure of himself, approached the bar and asked if Zoe was there. "One sec," the girl answered. "Hey Zoe! Get your ass over here!"

"What do you want?"

"Someone's here to see you, and he's really cute!"

"Coming!" Zoe approached Mark. "Gina, are you trying to get me fired, Lil will kill me if she thinks I have a boyfriend here. Oh, hey Mark."

"So this is Coyote Ugly?"

"This is Coyote Ugly, welcome. Oh, shit, Lil's coming, what can I get you to drink?"

"Um, a beer's fine."

"I need a beer, Lil, can you get me one?"

"Why, are we out over there already?"

"Yeah, Zach got the last one."

"I'll go get some more."

"Thank you. So, what's you're first taste of Coyote like?"

"Interesting. Who's Lil?"

"She's the owner and the boss. Here's my number, I gotta dance it's my turn." Zoe hopped up onto the bar. Mark stared in awe at her as she danced across the bar. Another Coyote lit the stage, and the dancing continued.

"Here's your beer," Lil said handing Mark his drink.

"Uh, thanks, how much?"

"1.35." Mark handed the money to Lil. He looked up to see that the flames had been extinguished, and water dripping from the three Coyotes still dancing.

Mark left the bar in awe. He had no idea that a Coyote did all that. He sat on the curb across from the bar, waiting for the Coyotes to leave for the night. Around 1am, the club closed, cabs waiting out front for the drunks to be taken home.

"Rachel, why did you light the bar, again?" a familiar voice asked.

"We all needed a little entertainment. Well maybe not you," Rachel pointed over to where Mark was sitting.

"I'll see you guys later," Zoe said leaving the group and crossing the street. "What are you doing?" Zoe asked Mark, dodging a cab.

"I wanted to wait and talk to you some more."

"Start talking," Zoe said.

"Well, first off, how could you dance with the bar on fire?"

"This wasn't the first time Rachel's done that, and besides, it's all in a night's work. Just like dealing with a bunch of drunks."

"Right, and second why would you chose to be a Coyote?"

"It's amazing fun. How many people do you know that look forward to going to work?"

"I think you're the first one."

"Point made. Besides, Lil can be tough, but she's an amazing person. She's the first person I know who would marry there work."

"Point taken."

"So, you know about me, tell me about yourself."

"I work for Buzzline, my friends think I should marry my camera, and I live with my best friend and his girlfriend."

"I knew you worked for Buzzline; why don't you tell me about your friends a little?"

"My friends; how to describe them? Well, you already know a little about Maureen. Maureen is a Bisexual, and a performer. Roger, he's my roommate, is HIV positive and a rocker."

"And his girlfriend?"

"Her name is Mimi, and she's also HIV positive. She previously worked at the Cat Scratch Club, she danced. Collins is an old roommate of ours, and he's also HIV positive. Joanne is Maureen girlfriend, and she's a lawyer. That's pretty much our circle of friends...unless we're counting our landlord who used to be our friend, his name's Benny."

"Wow, extended circle of friends. My circle of friends pretty much all work at Coyote Ugly; I've pretty much lost contact with my friends at home in Delaware." She smiled, causing Mark to smile. Mark reached for her hand subconsciously. Zoe must not have cared, because she didn't draw her hand away, but laced her fingers in between his.

"Um, do you want to get breakfast or something?" he asked awkwardly.

"Sure, sounds good. Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know very many restaurants in this part of town."

"Well then, you're just going to have to trust me. There's a place not very far from here that my friends and I eat at after work. The foods pretty good, and the owner gives us a discount since we're there so often."

"Sounds good to me." Mark let Zoe lead her to the little restaurant. When they got there, all the other Coyotes had taken over two of the tables.

"Hey Z who's the guy?" one of the other Coyotes called.

"Coyotes, this is Mark; Mark this is Cammi, Gina, Rachel, Stormy and Violet."

"All six Coyotes, I'm Gina."

"Nice to meet you all," Mark said.

"So Z, you gonna date this guy?"

"Rachel! God, just because a guy came to see me doesn't mean I'm going to date him," Zoe said, "Unless you want to date me?" she said turning to face Mark.

"Um," he stuttered.

"I'd take that as a yes," Rachel said.

"Would you for once not be a bitch, don't embarrass the poor boy."

"Do you wanna go out with me?" Mark asked very nervously.

"Sure," Zoe bubbled, a wide smile spreading across her lips.

**The End**

Okay, another thing you might want to know is I was watching Coyote Ugly when this idea started running around in my head. I also want to be a Coyote myself. Please tell me what you think; criticism is more than welcome.


End file.
